A typical steam iron comprises a housing incorporating a handle, a heel on which the iron rests when not in use, and a heated soleplate which is placed in contact with the fabric to be ironed. The heated soleplate is moved over the fabric to remove creases from the fabric.
The steam iron further comprises a water reservoir. Water from the water reservoir is supplied to a heated steam generating surface of the soleplate and is converted into steam. The steam is channeled through the soleplate and exits through steam vents onto the fabric to assist with crease removal.
In steam irons, as described above, the soleplate plays an important role in the effectiveness of the ironing function. However, it is known that prolonged use of steam irons causes minerals, known as scale, to be deposited on the steam generating surfaces of the soleplate. The minerals are left behind by the evaporated water. The accumulation of these deposits reduces the efficiency with which the soleplate converts water into steam.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,181,874 discloses a steam iron capable of performing a self-cleaning process to remove scale. However, it has been found that under certain conditions the self-cleaning purpose can result in scalding of the user.